The Future of European Citizenship

Sandra Seubert (Goethe-Fellow)

 

Abstract
The Maastricht Treaty (1992) introduced the concept of »Union citizenship«, which can be regarded as the first institutionally effective form of transnational citizenship. More than 30 years after its introduction, however, it now appears that the EU has »overstreched« itself with promises of citizenship. The optimism expressed in the introduction of a European citizenship status, which was followed by the establishment of a Constitutional Convention in 2002/03, now seems rather outdated. Right-wing populist attacks and growing skepticism towards the EU, which is currently finding public expression in a competition to announce border controls, reveal deep doubts about the legitimacy and functionality of the existing European institutions. The presentation argues why the further development of European citizenship is nevertheless absolutely necessary and, at the same time, completely uncertain. Adopting a citizen-centered perspective on the EU has radical implications and challenges the dominant state-centric perspective. As a political process rather than a (legal) status, enactments of citizenship themselves are necessary to give substance to the status, which will involve protecting fundamental democratic rights and strengthening powers at European level. 

Die Rednerin
Sandra Seubert ist seit 2009 Professorin für Politikwissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt Politische Theorie an der Goethe-Universität. Ihre Forschungsschwerpunkte liegen im Bereich moderner Demokratietheorie, insbesondere Theorien transnationaler Bürgerschaft sowie einer Politischen Theorie des Privaten. Von 2013‒2017 war sie PI und Mitglied des Exekutive Boards des EU-geförderten kollaborativen Projekts Barriers towards EU citizenship (bEUcitizen). Sie ist außerdem Sprecherin des von der VW-Stiftung im Rahmen der »Schlüsselthemen für Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft« geförderten Forschungsgruppe Strukturwandel des Privaten. 2019/20 lehrte sie als Alfred-Grosser Gastprofessorin an der Sciences Po in Paris.